


Tabibito

by acchikocchi



Category: Nobuta wo Produce
Genre: AO3 repost, Gen, Post-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-07-29
Updated: 2008-07-29
Packaged: 2018-01-18 12:38:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1428850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/acchikocchi/pseuds/acchikocchi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shuuji and Akira's last summer. (AO3 repost.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tabibito

**Author's Note:**

  * For [wintersjuly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wintersjuly/gifts).



The soft clack of bicycle wheels echoed down the dusky street. Overhead, faint shapes scudded across the dark sky. A warm breeze had sprung up, ruffling Shuuji's hair, and with it the strong smell of salt.

At the end of the street, where it opened up into a parking area overlooking the beach Shuuji slowed to a stop and let the bicycle fall to the sand with a soft _thump_. Farther along the beach a dark shape was bent over, silhouetted against the ocean.

He silently picked his way across the sand. Despite his best efforts, a shell crunched underfoot and next to the water Akira straightened and turned toward him.

"Shuuji," Akira said in a voice so soft it was barely distinct from the waves.

"Yo," Shuuji whispered back.

They arranged the kindling silently. In the absence of words, the ceaseless, repetitive cries of crickets and cicadas drifted down from the brush at the edge of the beach and were swallowed in the noise of the ocean. When everything was ready, Shuuji pulled a packet of matches from his pocket.

It took three tries before the spark caught. They watched, crouched on the sand beside the fire, as the weak flame flared among the dry seaweed and spread quickly to bleached, bone-like limbs of driftwood.

Shuuji was the one to break the silence.

"It's our last summer."

"Mmm." Akira's arms were wrapped around his knees; the firelight brought out his features in sharp relief. "Last summer with Shuuji-kun."

Shuuji tipped his head back to gaze up at the scattered stars. He'd never been good with constellations; he had long since given them his own private names. Tonight he easily located the one that reminded him of Akira's trademark hand sign.

A particularly loud snap drew his attention back to the fire. Flakes of white ash drifted away on the breeze; Shuuji's mind caught and discarded a vague, half-formed comparison to fireflies. With a soft huff of air Akira tipped back on his heels until he fell back on the sand, where he lay with arms outstretched. Shuuji followed suit and they lay gazing up at the sky for several long minutes.

There was the crow, the willow tree, a witch -

"Shuuji," Akira said.

"Yeah?"

There was a splash from the water, audible over the waves. A fish, or maybe a bird. Next to him, Akira said, "Let's go on a trip."

"A trip?"

"Yeah." The sand shifted and Shuuji heard Akira roll over. He could see it without having to turn his head: Akira lying on his side, head propped on one hand, probably drawing absently in the sand with the other. "Let's go somewhere."

"Tokyo?" They'd been to Tokyo once already, at spring vacation. Shuuji thought that he’d like to visit again soon. It seemed, just then, unimaginably far-removed from the ash on the breeze and the sound of waves against the sky.

Akira made a noise. "Somewhere we haven't been."

"Like where?"

"Anywhere," Akira said dreamily. "We'll get on a train, and take it until we reach the ocean – a different ocean - and then we'll get on a boat and take it until we reach land again, and then we’ll find a car and drive until we reach the end of the road, and then we’ll get out and walk until there aren't any more paths – "

Shuuji felt a smile curve his mouth. "Neither of us can drive."

"Then we’ll skip that step,” Akira said, unperturbed. “We'll walk everywhere instead. We'll be the first people to walk around the world."

"What will we do when we get there?" Shuuji asked. “To where we’re going.”

Akira said matter of factly, "Eat something."

Surprised, a laugh escaped Shuuji. "What?"

"We'll be hungry after all that walking," Akira said, as if it were perfectly reasonable.

"Where will we stay?"

"We'll make friends there. New friends. They'll never want us to leave."

"What if we don't speak the same language?"

He knew Akira was smiling. "That's part of the fun."

Shuuji turned his head. The angle of the firelight cast strange patterns across Akira's face. His eyes, bright and dark, were fixed on Shuuji.

"Shuuji," Akira said again.

"Yeah?"

"Let's go next summer." It wasn't quite sure enough to be a statement, nor quite uncertain enough to be a question.

Shuuji turned away and propped himself up on his elbows. Looking out at the pale, dark ocean he said, "Okay. Next summer."

Akira's tuneless humming carried down to the shoreline, where it washed away with the sea.


End file.
